Floor panel and method for manufacturing floor panels

ABSTRACT

A floor panel has a substrate and a decorative layer of wood veneer provided thereon having a thickness of 1 millimeter or less. The substrate has an average density of more than 750 kilograms per cubic meter. The floor panel is rectangular and oblong and comprises a pair of opposite short edges and a pair of opposite long edges. The floor panel, on at least said two opposite long edges, is provided with coupling means allowing that two of such floor panels can be coupled to each other in a vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the coupled panels and in a horizontal direction in this plane and perpendicular to the respective edge. The wood veneer and/or the substrate immediately underneath the wood veneer is treated at least at the short edges with a fluoro copolymer or a polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a floor panel, as well as to a method formanufacturing floor panels.

More particularly, the invention relates to decorative panels, such asfloor panels, which comprise a top layer or decorative layer on thebasis of wood. Such panels are widely known as such, for example, fromWO 2010/122514. In the case of floor panels, this means parquet which isready for installation, pre-fabricated parquet or composed parquet, inEnglish also indicated as “Engineered Wood Parquet”, or veneer parquet.The present invention aims in particular to floor panels for veneerparquet, namely floor panels with a wooden top layer having a thicknessof 1 millimeter or less.

Floor panels for veneer parquets are described, for example, in U.S.Pat. No. 5,755,068 and usually comprise at least a substrate and a woodveneer of at less than 2 millimeters glued thereon. According to the EN13489 standard, panels with a wooden top layer of 2.5 millimeters andmore may be called multi-layered parquet or “multilayer parquet” and arenot considered a veneer parquet. In panels for veneer parquet, awood-based backing layer may also be glued to the underside of thesubstrate. The wood layer situated on the upper side works as a top anddecorative layer and mostly is made of hardwood. However, on its upperside it still can be treated further, for example, for exerting aninfluence on the appearance thereof and/or for improving the surfacequality thereof, for example, by means of coloring, of applying awear-resistant and waterproof transparent lacquer, and so on. Thewood-based backing layer mostly consists of a one-piece thin layer of acheap and mostly soft wood species. Such veneer parquet panels aresensitive to impressions by impact and may be susceptible to scratches.Due to their insufficient mechanical properties, soft wood species areunusable as a top layer for such panels. On the narrow edges of theveneer there is a risk of penetration of humidity, and ring-shaped spotsmay show on the veneer surface.

Related Art

From DE 102 45 914, it is known, for the top layer of veneer parquet, toglue a wood veneer impregnated with thermosetting resin onto a MDF orHDF substrate, print it and finish it with a wear-resistant resin. Forthe resin, use is made of phenol resin or melamine resin. In such floorpanels, there is a risk that the veneer layer delaminates from thesubstrate; moreover, this method is complicated.

US 2006/070,325 and US 2005/136,234 describe a method wherein a woodentop layer of 2 millimeters or more is glued, under pressure, onto aMDF/HDF substrate, wherein a certain impregnation of the applied glue inthe wooden top layer is obtained.

DE 20 2013 012 020 U1 and WO 2015/078434 describe a method wherein awooden veneer layer having a thickness between 0.6 mm and 1.2 mm ispressed, via an intermediate resin layer, onto a MDF/HDF substrate in ahot press. The intermediate resin layer may comprise a thermosettingresin. Such product composition may be susceptible to impact.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention primarily aims at an alternative panel for veneerparquet, wherein according to various preferred embodiments solutionsare offered for the problems with the floor panels of the state of theart.

To this aim, the present invention relates to a floor panel with asubstrate and a provided thereon decorative layer of wood veneer havinga thickness of 2 millimeters or less, of still better of 1 millimeter orless, with the characteristic that said substrate has an average densityof more than 750 kilograms per cubic meter and that said decorativelayer is provided on the substrate by means of a layer on the basis ofthermosetting resin situated between the substrate and the decorativelayer. The combination of a high average density of the substrate andgluing the wood veneer on the basis of a thermosetting resin results ina veneer parquet with high impact resistance. The underlying substratewith high density unabatedly functions as a buffer for impressiondeformations or perforations exerted on the thin veneer, as theintermediate resin layer forms a relatively hard connection between theveneer and the substrate.

Preferably, said substrate, at least at the surface where the decorativelayer is situated, has a density of more than 900 kilograms per cubicmeter, or even of more than 1000 or 1100 kilograms per cubic meter.Preferably, this herein relates to a density locally increased at thesurface, whereas the core of the substrate has a lower than averagedensity, for example, less than 800 or less than 750 kilograms per cubicmeter. The combination of a high surface density with a lower internaldensity leads to an optimum between impact resistance and soundabsorption in the use of a veneer parquet composed of the panels of theinvention.

Preferably, the aforementioned substrate is a wood fiberboard, moreparticularly of the HDF type. Herein, this may relate to an HDF boardwhich is glued by means of urea formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde ormelamine-urea formaldehyde. According to another possibility, this HDFboard is glued by means of pMDI. pMDI or polymeric methylene diphenyldiisocyanate has a certain resiliency and in this manner can contributeto the impact resistance of the floor panel.

Preferably, said substrate shows a swelling of less than 15%, asmeasured according to EN 317:1993.

Preferably, said substrate has a thickness between 5 and 15 millimeters,and still better between 6 and 10 millimeters.

Preferably, said wood veneer has a thickness between 0.3 and 1millimeter, preferably approximately 0.6 millimeters. It is primarilywith these thin veneers that an important gain in impact resistance canbe obtained with the combination of a thermosetting resin layer and asubstrate of high density.

Preferably, said thermosetting resin relates to a melamine-based resin.Preferably, the thermosetting resin is made antistatic, for example, bymeans of the remedies known as such for laminate floor panels from WO2004/050359. So, for example, a solution of an alkali salt may beblended into the thermosetting resin.

Preferably, said wood veneer is at least partially impregnated by meansof the aforementioned thermosetting resin. Such impregnation results ina higher density of the veneer and contributes to the impact resistanceof the panel.

Preferably, said decorative layer comprises a transparent or translucentsurface material on the surface. Such material can form an addition tothe wear resistance and/or scratch resistance of the veneer top layer.

According to a first possibility, the transparent or translucent surfacematerial is at least obtained on the basis of a polyurethane-basedand/or acrylate-based lacquer, for example a lacquer with at least 25percent by weight, or still better at least 50 percent by weight, ofacrylates chosen from the list consisting of polyurethane acrylates,polyester acrylates and/or epoxide acrylates. Preferably, this relatesto a lacquer which is hardened by means of UV radiation, electron beamor excimer radiation. This may relate, for example, to surface materialwhich is applied by means of an inert coating-system. Such systems areknown, for example, from EP 2 805 778. Herein, a lacquer is hardened bymeans of radiation, for example, UV radiation, through a transparentpress element, for example, through a transparent press belt or pressfilm.

According to a second possibility, the transparent or translucentsurface material is at least obtained on the basis of said thermosettingresin, either in that this resin has penetrated through the veneerlayer, or in that a separate resin layer of the same or similarthermosetting resin has been provided on the veneer layer.

According to a third possibility, the first possibility and the secondpossibility are combined, wherein the surfacematerial formed by thelacquer preferably is situated above the surfacematerial on the basis ofthe thermosetting resin.

Preferably, a matte surface is obtained with the surface material,namely a surface having a gloss degree of 10 or less, as measuredaccording to DIN 67530. The gloss degree of the surface can be obtained,for example, by means of an excimer-hardened lacquer layer, for example,according to the above-mentioned first possibility. Withexcimer-hardened lacquer layers, the gloss degree can even be set bymeans of regulating the energy which is incident on the surface materialto be hardened. According to a variant, the gloss degree of the surfacecan also be obtained by means of an inert coating system, wherein thestructure of the applied press element, preferably a press film,determines the gloss degree. Of course, it is also possible to obtain aglossy surface with the surface material, for example, a surface havinga gloss degree of 20 or more, as measured according to DIN 67530.

Preferably, the transparent surface material comprises 15 to 30 percentby weight of hard particles, such as particles of corundum (aluminumoxide) and/or silica (silicon oxide). Herein, this may relate toparticles having an average particle size of 50 micrometers or smaller,or even of 10 micrometers or smaller, wherein it is not excluded thatparticles might be used having an average particle size situated between100 nanometers and 1 micrometer.

The thickness of the surface material preferably is 0.05 millimeters orless.

Preferably, the surface material follows a possible relief present onthe surface of the wood veneer, for example, at least possibly presentlower edges and preferably also at least a portion of the wood porestructure of the veneer.

Preferably, the surface material extends in a layer shape over at least80 percent of the surface of the veneer layer, and still better over theentire or approximately the entire surface thereof.

Preferably, said floor panel is provided with lower edge regions on oneor more edges, wherein said wood veneer extends in one piece from on thesurface of the substrate over said lower edge regions. In that theveneer extends up to a lower-situated region at the edge of the floorpanel, an increased wear resistance is obtained at these edges. A directimpact or a direct walking on the edge of the veneer then is improbable,and delamination or other damage to these edges is practically excluded.Moreover, such edge region offers the optical illusion that the panelhas a thicker wooden top layer. Preferably, said lower edge region formsa bevel or other chamfer, wherein the wood veneer extends over the loweredge region at least up to a point wherein the veneer surface issituated on a level in a horizontal plane which intersects saidsubstrate.

In the case of an oblong rectangular floor panel, said lower edgeregions preferably are provided at least on the opposite long edges andpossibly additionally on the opposite short edges, however, notnecessarily. The short edges may also be free from lower edge regions.

Preferably, on one or more edges said wood veneer is compressed. Thiscan be obtained, for example, by forming lower edge regions on the edgesconcerned by means of an impression of the veneer and preferably ofunderlying layers, such as the substrate, as well. When performing suchimpression, preferably also said layer of thermosetting resin doesharden, such that the springing back of the impressed material mayremain restricted. Providing compressed wood veneer on the edges resultsin an increased resistance against moisture penetration. It is primarilyadvantageous when at least the narrow edges of the wood veneer arecompressed.

Preferably, said thermosetting resin includes wear-resistant particles,such as, for example, aluminum oxide, silicon oxide or silicon carbideparticles, preferably having an average particle size situated between20 and 200 micrometers. These particles penetrate into the wood veneerat the bottom side and provide a barrier against wearing through of theveneer.

Preferably, said layer on the basis of thermosetting resin extendsuninterruptedly underneath the entire wood veneer. In the case that thewood veneer extends on lower edge regions of the veneer, thethermosetting resin preferably also extends on these lower edge regions,such that a good adherence of the veneer is obtained and a possiblespringing back of compressed material is limited.

Preferably, a backing layer is provided on the underside of thesubstrate, which backing layer also comprises thermosetting resin, forexample, a backing layer on the basis of a paper sheet impregnated withresin, or a backing layer on the basis of a wood veneer layer which isattached to the substrate with a thermosetting resin layer. This mayrelate, for example, to a veneer of fir or pine. A backing layer of woodveneer preferably has a thickness of minimum 1 to 2 millimeters, forexample, approximately 1.5 millimeters. Herein, this may relate to aveneer obtained by means of a rotative cutting treatment, or so-called“rotary peeled veneer”.

Preferably, the floor panel, on at least two opposite edges, is providedwith coupling means allowing that two of such floor panels can becoupled to each other in a vertical direction perpendicular to the planeof the coupled panels and in a horizontal direction in this plane andperpendicular to the respective edge. Such coupling means are known assuch, for example, from WO 97/47834. According to an important firstpossibility thereof, the coupling means on two opposite edges preferablysubstantially are made as a tongue and a groove with locking parts whichprevent the moving out of each other of the tongue and the groove. Suchlocking parts may consist, for example, of an upwardly protrudinglocking element on the lower groove lip, wherein this locking elementborders a recess in the lower groove lip, and a protrusion, cooperatingwith this locking element, on the underside of the tongue, wherein thisprotrusion fits into the aforementioned recess. According to animportant second possibility thereof, the coupling means on two oppositeedges are made as a male part and a female part, wherein the male partcan be provided in the female part by means of a downward movement,wherein the male part and the female part engage into each other, suchthat a locking in horizontal direction is obtained. Preferably, the maleand female parts further also comprise blocking means, whether or notmade in one piece, which can come into a position wherein a removal ofthe male part in vertical direction out of the female part is prevented.Such coupling means are known as such, for example, from WO 01/75247 orWO 01/51732.

In order to obtain maximum water resistance, the substrate and/or thewood veneer preferably is treated on one or more edges with a fluorocopolymer or a pMDI. This treatment preferably relates to a treatment ofthe narrow edges of the wood veneer and/or at least the substratematerial immediately underneath the wood veneer. Such treatment can alsobe realized partially overlapping with the surface of the wood veneer.This is of particular interest in those cases in which the wood veneeron the respective edge extends over a lower-situated edge region. Inthose cases any disturbing effect of the overlapping with the surface ofthe floor panel is less prominent, as it can be limited to a portion ofthe surface situated in this lower-situated edge region. Preferably, theoverlapping is limited to the portion situated immediately at the edgeof the floor panel. So, for example, the technique can be applied which,from EP 2 013 034 B1, is known as such for laminate panels.

According to a second independent aspect, the present invention alsorelates to a method for manufacturing panels or floor panels, whereinthese floor panels comprise at least a substrate and a provided thereondecorative layer of wood veneer, wherein the method comprises at leastthe following steps:

the step of providing a base plate having an average density of 750kilograms per cubic meter or more;

the step of composing a stack which comprises at least the structuredbase plate, a resin layer on the basis of thermosetting resin and one ormore wood veneers;

the step of pressing said stack in a heated press, wherein said resinlayer is hardened, such that said veneers are adhered to the base plate;

the step of dividing the pressed whole into panels, of which panels saidfloor panels can be formed;

the step of finishing said panels form to said floor panels. Preferably,said finishing consists at least of providing one or more lacquerlayers, for example, UV lacquer layers, or one or more layers of oil,and/or of providing a surface material according to the earliermentioned first possibility thereof.

The method allows obtaining highly performant floor panels on the basisof a thin wood veneer layer, for example, a wood veneer layer of 0.4 to1 millimeter.

The aforementioned resin layer can be provided in said stack indifferent manners. According to a first manner, the resin can be appliedat least partially in liquid condition, for example, by means of one ormore roller installations and/or spreading installations, after which itis dried to a residual moisture content of preferably less than 10percent by weight. According to a second manner, the resin can beprovided at least partially in powder form, for example, by means of oneor more strewing installations. Preferably, this powder resin is fixatedsomewhat in the stack, for example, by spraying it with a fine watermist. According to a third manner, the resin can be provided at leastpartially by means of a carrier sheet, such as a paper sheet. Such papersheet then can be impregnated with resin prior to the step of composingthe stack, preferably saturated with resin, and dried to a residualmoisture content of preferably less than 10 percent by weight. Theimpregnated and dried sheet then is included in the stack. According toa fourth manner, the resin can be at least partially provided in thestack in that the wood veneer, prior to the step of composing the stack,has been provided with resin on its underside.

Preferably, the realized floor panel shows a relief on the uppersurface. In this manner, with a wood veneer top layer still theimpression can be created that a thicker top layer is used. A relief inthe upper surface can be achieved according to various methods, fromwhich the two primary ones will be listed herein below.

According to a first possibility, the method further also comprises thestep of structuring the upper surface of said base plate, wherein saidwood veneers are adhered to the base plate, such that they follow atleast partially the contour of the structured upper surface of the baseplate. Structuring the upper surface of the base plate may be performed,for example, by means of mechanical machining treatments, such as by oneor more of sawing, milling, planing or the like. According to anotherpossibility, the process of structuring the upper surface can beperformed by means of a press treatment which deforms the upper surfaceof the base plate. Preferably, the structuring of the upper surface ofthe base plate is performed prior to the aforementioned pressing stepand, preferably, prior to the step of composing the stack with thelayers to be pressed. In other words, in such case the aforementionedwood veneers are adhered to the base plate only after the upper surfaceof the base plate has been structured already.

According to a second possibility, in said pressing step said base plateis deformed, such that the upper surface of said base plate shows astructure, wherein simultaneously said wood veneers are adhered to thebase plate, such that they follow at least partially the contour of thestructured upper surface of the base plate.

Preferably, said wood veneers follow the structured upper surface suchthat the final floor panels are provided with lower edge regions on oneor more edges, wherein the wood veneer extends in one piece from on thesurface of the substrate over the aforementioned lower edge regions.According to another example, said wood veneers follow the structuredupper surface in such a manner that the final floor panels show therelief of a scraped floor panel in their upper surface, namely a reliefconsisting of lower-situated oblong paths extending substantially in thelongitudinal direction of the floor panel.

A method which provides for a structured surface with veneer panels isof interest, independently of the fact whether the decorative top layeror the wood veneer is provided on the substrate by means ofthermosetting resin. Therefore, the invention, according to anindependent third aspect, also relates to a method for manufacturingfloor panels, wherein these floor panels comprise at least a substrateand a provided thereon decorative layer of wood veneer, wherein themethod comprises at least the following steps:

the step of providing a base plate having an average density of 750kilograms per cubic meter or more;

the step of composing a stack comprising at least the base plate, a gluelayer or resin layer, and one or more wood veneers;

the step of pressing said stack in a press, wherein said base plate isdeformed, such that the upper surface of said base plate shows astructure, and that said wood veneers at least partially follow thecontour of the structured upper surface of the base plate;

the step of dividing the pressed whole into panels, of which panels theaforementioned floor panels can be formed;

the step of finishing said panels to form said floor panels.

With such method, the optical illusion of a massive top layer isachieved.

Preferably, the pressing step is performed in a heated press, forexample, with a temperature of more than 80° C., and/or at least theupper surface of the base plate has a temperature of more than 60° C.during the pressing step. The inventor has found that a heated baseplate, either heated by means of the heated press, or heated by aseparate heating, or a combination of the two, leads to a more efficientdeformation of the upper surface of the substrate or the base plate. Aseparate heating can be obtained, for example, by radiation withinfrared radiators (IR) or close-up infrared radiators (NIR) prior tothe press treatment.

In order to promote the deformation of the base plate, at least theupper surface to be structured can be moistened with water and/or steam.

Preferably, with the method of the third aspect it is obtained that thewood veneers follow the structured upper surface such that the finalfloor panels, on one or more edges, are provided with lower edgeregions, wherein the wood veneer extends in one piece from on the uppersurface of the substrate over said lower edge regions. Asaforementioned, in this manner an additional resistance againstdelamination of the decorative top layer is obtained, and an additionalresistance against water penetration and the negative effects thereof.Namely, the wood veneer of the decorative layer is compressed on suchedge, such that moisture absorption is limited at these edges.

Of course, on the surface of the floor panel also other or possiblyadditional relief characteristics can be obtained by means of the thirdaspect. Important examples of such relief characteristics are oblongpaths for imitating scraped parquet, indentations and walking marks forimitating antique or aged parquet.

Preferably, the method of the second and/or the third aspect is appliedfor manufacturing the panels of the first aspect. In the case of thethird aspect, however, it is not necessary that a layer of thermosettingresin is located between the substrate and the decorative layer.According to the third aspect, a glue layer may be applied as well, forexample, a glue on the basis of polyurethane, hot-melt glue (“hotmelt”)or polyvinyl acetate (“PVAc”).

Preferably, the thermosetting resin has a residual moisture content ofless than 10 percent, for example, of approximately 7 percent. A lowresidual moisture content is advantageous during pressing and reducesthe risk of the occurrence of defects in the decorative top layer.Namely, an excess amount of water may lead to that the veneer layers areaffected and/or to the decorative layer puffing open due to a too highsteam pressure in the intermediate resin layer.

As aforementioned, said resin layer, according to a particularembodiment, comprises a layer of wear-resistant particles, for example,particles of aluminum oxide, silicon oxide or silicon carbide. Theparticles preferably have an average particle size situated between 20and 200 micrometers. Preferably, aluminum oxide is applied. This is veryadvantageous in combination with a thermosetting resin on the basis ofmelamine or melamine formaldehyde, in view of the fact that aluminumoxide has a refractive index which is approximately the same as that ofthe resin. Therefore, the particles, even if they should have an averageparticle size of more than 80 micrometers, are hardly noticeable.

Preferably, said layer of thermosetting resin comprises coloring means,such as dyes or staining agents (English: dyes or stains), whichpreferably can penetrate into said veneer layer when the latter is beingpressed. According to a variant, the respective veneer layers can becolored prior to the press treatment.

Preferably, for the decorative layer veneer layers are applied which areobtained by sawing massive wood. By sawing, the wood structure ispreserved better than in the case of cutting or peeling. For thepossible backing layer, preferably cut or peeled veneer is applied, forexample, so-called “rotary peeled veneer”, preferably with a thicknesswhich is larger than that of the decorative layer. According to aparticular independent aspect, the present invention relates to a floorpanel with a substrate, a provided thereon decorative layer of woodveneer and a provided therebeneath backing layer, also of wood veneer,characterized in that the decorative top layer and the backing layerdiffer from each other in one or more of the following ways, namelythat:

the decorative top layer is a wood veneer obtained by sawing, whereasthe backing layer is a wood veneer obtained by cutting off or peeling,preferably a so-called “rotary peeled veneer”;

the wood veneer of the decorative top layer is thinner than the woodveneer of the backing layer;

preferably, the wood veneer of the decorative top layer has a thicknessof 1 millimeter or less, whereas the wood veneer of the backing layerhas a thickness of more than 1 millimeter, for example, a thickness ofapproximately 1.5 to approximately 2 millimeters.

Surprisingly, the inventor has found that, irrespective of thedifferences between the top layer and backing layer, still a stablesandwich structure can be achieved.

In combination with the differences of the particular independent aspectmentioned herein above, the decorative layer and the backing layer canalso show one or more of the following characteristics:

the wood veneer of the decorative top layer consists of an oak veneer(quercus), maple veneer (acer) or an ash veneer (fraxinus), whereas thewood veneer of the backing layer is chosen from the series of fir veneer(picea) or pine veneer (pinus);

the wood veneer of the decorative top layer consists of hardwood,whereas the wood veneer of the backing layer consists of softwood.

According to the present independent aspect, the backing layer can bechosen in order to obtain a good sound insulation in use, whereas thedecorative top layer can be chosen in order to render a good wearresistance or impact resistance to the upper surface, while stillsufficient stability is obtained for providing panels for a floatingfloor covering, for example, of the type which, on at least two oppositeedges, is provided with mechanical coupling means, which allow that twoof such floor panels can be coupled to each other in a verticaldirection perpendicular to the plane of the coupled panels and in ahorizontal direction in this plane and perpendicular to the respectiveedge. Preferably, the above-mentioned differences are combined with eachother, for example, by applying a decorative layer of sawn veneer ofhardwood, for example, oak or ash, having a thickness of less than 1millimeter, and a backing layer of fir or pine veneer having a thicknessof more than 1 millimeter and obtained by rotative cutting (“rotarypeel”). It is clear that a floor panel with the characteristics of theabove particular independent aspect further may show the features of theearlier mentioned first aspect or the preferred embodiments thereof, asfar as they are not contradictory. According to a variant, thedecorative layer and/or the backing layer can be glued onto thesubstrate by means of a glue on the basis of polyurethane, hot-melt glue(“hotmelt”) or polyvinyl acetate glue (PVAc). Preferably, such floorpanel is provided with lower edge regions on one or more edges, whereinthe wood veneer of the decorative layer extends in one piece from on thesurface of the substrate over the aforementioned lower edge regions.

The wood veneers which, in the second and/or third aspect of theinvention, are included in the stack mentioned there, possibly may beadhered to each other by means of sewing and/or glue connections, suchthat a veneer layer is obtained, parts of which are present in aplurality of the finally obtained floor panels. Preferably, the obtainedfloor panels are free from such sewing and/or glue connections, or atleast are at least free from such connections which would extendtransverse to the longitudinal direction of the panel. Thus, preferablycare is taken that such connections, in the pressed whole, are locatedon substrate material which must be removed during the process ofdividing and/or finishing. According to a variant, a plurality ofseparate wood veneers are included in the stack and positioned next toeach other, wherein the joint between adjacent wood veneers is locatedon substrate material which must be removed.

The finishing step mentioned in the second and/or third aspect of theinvention may relate, for example, to applying the already mentionedsurface material, for example, according to the first possibilitythereof, and/or to forming of coupling means on one or more edges of thefloor panels. Preferably, a matte surface is realized by means of theprovided transparent or translucent surface material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With the intention of better showing the characteristics of theinvention, hereafter, as an example without any limitative character,some preferred embodiments are described, with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 in perspective represents a floor panel having thecharacteristics of the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 , at a larger scale, represent a cross-section accordingto the lines II-II and respectively, shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 , in a view similar to that of FIG. 2 , represents a variant;

FIG. 5 , at a larger scale, represents the floor panel of FIG. 4 incoupled condition;

FIG. 6 , at a larger scale, shows a view of the area indicated by F6 inFIG. 2 ;

FIGS. 7 and 8 , in a view similar to that of FIG. 6 , representvariants; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a step in a method with the characteristics ofthe invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 represents a decorative panel, more particularly a floor panel 1,in accordance with the invention. The panel 1 is rectangular and oblongand comprises a pair of opposite short edges 2-3 and a pair of oppositelong edges 4-5. The decorative top layer 6 is formed by a wood veneer 7having a thickness of 1 millimeter or less; in this case, the veneer hasa thickness T1 of approximately 0.6 millimeters.

FIG. 2 clearly shows that the decorative panel 1 comprises a substratematerial 8 on which the wood veneer 7 is provided by means of a layer onthe basis of thermosetting resin 9, which is situated between thesubstrate and the decorative layer. According to the invention, thesubstrate material 8 has an average density of more than 750 kilogramsper cubic meter. In this case, this relates to a HDF plate materialhaving an average density of 900 kilograms per square meter and asurface density of more than 1000 kilograms per square meter. On theedges 2-3 and 4-5, mechanical coupling means 10 are formed in thesubstrate material by means of milling. On the bottom side of thesubstrate material 8, a backing layer 11 is provided, for example, gluedor fixed in another manner against the substrate material 8. Accordingto a preferred embodiment of the invention, such backing layer 11 isalso attached to the substrate material 8 by means of a layer ofthermosetting resin. Such backing layer 11 preferably is made of awooden veneer layer having a thickness T2 of at least 50 percent of thedecorative top layer. Still better, and in accordance with theparticular independent aspect mentioned in the introduction, thedecorative top layer or the wood veneer 7 and the backing layer 11differ from each other at least in that the wood veneer of the backinglayer 11 is thicker than the wood veneer 7 of the top layer. The backinglayer 11 may consist, for example, of a “rotary peeled veneer” having athickness T2 of 1.5 millimeters or thicker, whereas the wood veneer 7 ofthe top layer is a veneer having a thickness T1 of less than 1millimeter. According to a variant, for the backing layer 11 a similarcomposed veneer 7 can be used as for the top layer.

FIGS. 2 and 3 represent that both pairs of opposite edges 2-3-4-5 areprovided with mechanical coupling means 10 which substantially arerealized as a tongue 12 and a groove 13 bordered by an upper lip 14 anda lower lip 15, wherein the tongue 12 and the groove 12 substantiallyare responsible for the locking in a vertical direction V, and whereinthe tongue 12 and the groove 13 are provided with additional lockingparts 16-17, which substantially are responsible for the locking in ahorizontal direction H. Preferably, the locking parts comprise aprotrusion 16 on the bottom side of the tongue 12 and a recess 17 in thelower groove lip 15. The coupling means 10 represented in FIGS. 2 and 3allow at least a coupling by means of a rotational movement W around therespective edges 2-3-4-5 and/or a coupling by means of a shiftingmovement S in a substantially horizontal manner of the edges 2-3-4-5 tobe coupled towards each other.

FIGS. 4 and 5 represent a variant with a pair of short edges 2-3 whichallow obtaining a coupling at least by means of a downward movement D.An edge 2 is provided with a male coupling part 18, whereas the otheredge 3 is provided with a female coupling part 19. By means of thedownward movement D, the male coupling part 18 is pressed into thefemale coupling part 19 in order to be locked in the vertical directionV, as a result of a pair of cooperating protrusions 20 and recesses 21.In this case, the recess 21 is partially formed by a resilient element22 present in the female coupling part 19.

FIG. 6 represents a detail of the upper edge of the floor panel of FIG.2 . It is clearly shown that the layer of thermosetting resin 9 canpenetrate partially into the substrate material 8 and partially into thewood veneer 7 of the top layer.

FIG. 6 further clearly shows that the decorative layer 6 showstransparent or translucent surface material 23 at the surface. In thiscase, this relates to a material having a matte structure, namely with agloss degree of 10 or less, as measured according to DIN 67530.

The floor panel of the FIGS. 1 to 8 is provided with lower edge regionson one or more edges 2-3-4-5, wherein the wood veneer 7 extends in onepiece from on the surface 25 of the substrate 8 over these lower edgeregions 24. In the example, the lower edge regions 24 are realized as achamfer or bevel. The wood veneer 7 extends over the lower edge region24 at least up to a point 26, wherein the veneer surface is situated ona level L in a horizontal plane which intersects the aforementionedsubstrate 8. At the location of the lower edge regions 24, the woodveneer 7 on average has a thickness TB which is smaller than the globalthickness T1 of the wood veneer 7. On these edges, the wood veneer 7 iscompressed or indented. In the present case, the substrate material 8,too, is indented at the location of these edges. This compressing of thewood veneer 7 leads to an increased resistance against moisturepenetration. Preferably, the average thickness TB of the wood veneer onthe lower edge regions is less than 85% of the global thickness T1 ofthe wood veneer.

In the examples, the thermosetting resin 9 extends uninterruptedlyunderneath the entire wood veneer 7, including the lower edge regions24.

The surface material 25 follows the relief of the wood veneer 7 at leastover the lowered edges 24 or chamfers.

FIG. 7 represents that the thermosetting resin 9 may comprisewear-resistant particles 26, preferably of an average particle size of20 micrometers or more. These particles penetrate into the wood veneer 7at the bottom side and provide for a barrier there against the completewearing through of the veneer 7. Such wear-resistant particles may alsobe situated in the surface material 25, or only in the surface material25, however, preferably with a smaller average particle size, forexample, of 10 micrometers or less.

FIG. 8 represents another variant, wherein the thermosetting resin 9encloses a material sheet, such as a paper sheet 27. Preferably, thisrelates to a paper sheet 27 having a surface weight between 50 and 150grams per square meter. Preferably, the thermosetting resin 9 isprovided by means of this paper sheet 27, namely in that this papersheet is impregnated with resin 9, preferably is saturated with resin,and in this manner is placed on the substrate material 8.

FIG. 9 represents a stack 28, which is pressed by means of the method ofthe second and the third aspect. For the press treatment, a structuredpress element 29 is applied. The stack 28 comprises a base plate 8Ahaving an average density of more than 750 kilograms per cubic meter, alayer of thermosetting resin 9 and a wood veneer 7 for forming thedecorative top layer 6. Further, the stack 28 also comprises a woodveneer for forming the backing layer 11 and a layer of thermosettingresin 9 for attaching this backing layer 11 against the bottom side ofthe base plate 8 a. In the example, the layers with thermosetting resin9 each time are realized by means of a paper sheet 27 which isimpregnated with this resin. The wood veneer 7 comprises a sewingconnection 30 which is positioned above a portion 31 of the base plate8A which has to be removed in following treatments for dividing and forforming coupling means 10, which latter here already are represented indashed line. In the example, the base plate 8 shows a flat upper surface25. However, it is not excluded that the upper surface may bepre-formed, entirely or partially, in accordance with the applied presselement 29.

FIG. 10 represents the obtained pressed whole 32. Herein, the decorativetop layer 6 and the backing layer 11 is represented only schematicallyas a single layer, namely, without showing the layers with resin 9 andthe paper sheets 27. This shows that the veneer 7 and the backing layer11 are adhered to the base plate 8A by means of the hardened resin 9.Moreover, the base plate 8A is deformed such that the upper surface 25shows a structure. The wood veneer 7 follows the contour of thestructured upper surface 25. Hereby, in this case is obtained that thewood veneer 7 shows a relief of scraped parquet with lowered edges 24.

The present invention is in no way limited to the herein above-describedembodiments, on the contrary may such methods and decorative panels berealized according to various variants, without leaving the scope of thepresent invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A floor panel with a substrate and aprovided thereon decorative layer of wood veneer having a thickness of 2mm or less; wherein said substrate has an average density of more than750 kilograms per cubic meter; wherein said substrate has a swelling ofless than 15%, when being submerged in water having a pH of 7 and atemperature of 20° C.; and wherein a thermosetting resin layer issituated between the substrate and the decorative layer, wherein thethermosetting resin layer penetrates partially into the substrate andthe decorative layer; wherein the substrate has a region of higherdensity at the surface upon which the thermosetting resin layer islocated whereas the substrate has a region of lower density below theregion of higher density.
 2. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein saidwood veneer has a of 1 millimeter or less.
 3. The floor panel of claim2, wherein said wood veneer has thickness between 0.3 and 1 millimeters.4. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein said substrate, at the surfacewhere the decorative layer is situated, has a density of more than 900kilograms per cubic meter.
 5. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein saidsubstrate is a wood fiberboard of an HDF type.
 6. The floor panel ofclaim 1, wherein said thermosetting resin layer relates to amelamine-based resin.
 7. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein saidsubstrate has a thickness between 5 and 15 millimeters.
 8. The floorpanel of claim 1, wherein said wood veneer has a thickness between 0.3and 1 millimeter.
 9. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein said decorativelayer of wood veneer consists of hardwood.
 10. The floor panel of claim1, wherein said decorative layer comprises a transparent or translucentsurface material at the surface.
 11. The floor panel of claim 10,wherein said transparent or translucent surface material is aUV-hardened lacquer.
 12. The floor panel of claim 10, wherein saidtransparent or translucent surface material is a polyurethane-based orpolyacrylate-based lacquer.
 13. The floor panel of claim 10, whereinsaid transparent or translucent surface material is obtained on thebasis of said thermosetting resin layer.
 14. The floor panel of claim10, wherein said transparent or translucent surface material comprises15 to 30 percent by weight of hard particles.
 15. The floor panel ofclaim 10, wherein said transparent or translucent surface materialfollows a relief present on the surface of the wood veneer.
 16. Thefloor panel of claim 1, wherein said floor panel is provided with loweredge regions on one or more edges and wherein said wood veneer extendsin one piece from on the surface of the substrate over said lower edgeregions.
 17. The floor panel of claim 16, wherein said lower edge regionforms a bevel or other chamfer, wherein the wood veneer extends over thelower edge region at least up to a point, wherein the veneer surface issituated on a level in a horizontal plane which intersects saidsubstrate.
 18. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein said thermosettingresin layer extends uninterruptedly underneath the entire wood veneer.19. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein this floor panel, on at leasttwo opposite edges, is provided with coupling means allowing that two ofsuch floor panels can be coupled to each other in a vertical directionperpendicular to the plane of the coupled panels and in a horizontaldirection in this plane and perpendicular to the respective edge. 20.The floor panel of claim 19, wherein said at least two opposite edgesare short edges and wherein at least one of said short edges is providedwith a male coupling part and at least one of said short edges isprovided with a female coupling part and wherein a coupling of said malecoupling part and said female coupling part is obtained at least bymeans of downward movement allowing locking in a vertical direction, asa result of a pair of cooperating protrusions and recesses, saidrecesses being partially formed by a resilient element present in thefemale coupling part.
 21. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein on thebottom side of the substrate a backing layer is provided, on the basisof a paper sheet impregnated with resin or a wood veneer layer attachedto the substrate by means of a thermosetting resin.